Mailer



United States Patent 3,319,872 MAILER Irving C. Beckrnan and Alex Morrell Beerbohm, Huntington Woods, Mich. (both of 30105 Stephenson Highway, Madison Heights, Mich. 48071) I Filed May 23, 1966, Ser. No. 552,213 1 Claim. (Cl. 229-69) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A continuous form burstable into individual mailers, the form comprising a single web of paper or light stock having a series of small plastic wallet sized cards spaced uniformly along the form.

This application relates to a single ply mailer and more particularly a mailer which may be made in a continuous form and thereafter severed into separate mailers, and which includes as a part thereof a removable card which bears a name and address and thus functions as a separate addressed card of the credit card type.

An object of this invention is to provide a single ply mailer comprising a backing sheet and a card; with a portion of the card being blank for imprinting a name and address thereon, after assembly of the mailer parts, but while the mailer is part of a continuous form, for mailing the mailer as well as for ultimate use of the card separate from the mailer.

A further object of this invention is to provide a single ply mailer made as a continuous form which includes as a part thereof small cards, and which can conveniently be manufactured in a continuous form and while in such form can be addressed on automatic machinery and thereafter severed or burst into individual mailing units, from which the addressee may remove the addressed card portion.

Another object is to provide a novel mailer, preferably of lightweight paper card stock, which can be formed on automatic machinery and containing, as a part thereof, a card of different material, such as plastic, which can be machine imprinted, all as part of a continuous form.

For an understanding of the continuous form and mailers hereof, reference should be had to the specification which follows and which refers to the appended drawing.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a half scale plan view of a small part of a continuous form.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are similar views of parts of a mailer.

FIG. 4 shows a completed mailer.

The drawing shows a mailer 9 which comprises a lower or backing sheet 10 of substantial length, measured horizontally, but rather narrow, measured vertically, having long edges 12, short edges 13, and a spot of adhesive 14, spaced inwardly from edges 12 and 13.

At both short edges 13 are lines of closely and uniformly spaced holes 16 for registering with teeth or printing feed rollers.

Forming a part of the mailer 9, is a small size card 15, of a material different than that of the stock of sheet 10. The latter may be of paper or lightweight card stock, whereas card is preferably of a firm plastic stock, such as commonly used today for credit cards. Card 15 is secured removably to sheet 10 by the adhesive spot 14 which is of a nature and composition permitting quick and easy removal of the card, without defacing or marring the removed card or leaving a residue on it.

A portion 24 of plastic card 15 is surfaced in a manner to receive printing thereon, permanently and legibly. Another portion 25 is blank, but of a nature to receive 3,319,872 Patented May 16, 1967 printing thereon which may be done on portion 25 after card 15 is mounted on and adhesively secured to the sheet 10.

Various parts of sheet 10 may be printed with various items of information, as in areas 26.

The continuous form A continuous form, FIG. 1, comprises a continuous web or sheet 10 having at each continuous edge 13 uniformly and closely spaced holes 16. Uniformly spaced along web 10 are transverse tear lines 12, and adhesive spots 14. Each portion of the continuous form between a pair of such lines 12 may be severed or burst off the continuous strip to form a single mailer 9 such as has just been described.

An important aspect of the device herein described is the size relation of the parts. Card 15 is small, preferably wallet size, 3%" x 2%", approximately, because this size has been found acceptable. On the other hand, mailer 9 is considerably longer and wider, about 8" x 3 /2", a size that enable the continuous form to be made by existing computing, addressing, etc., machinery and to have the consumers name and address imprinted by existing printing machinery or printing parts of larger machinery.

If sheet 10 were of the same small length dimension as cards 15, the sheets would be too small to run through machinery for being formed into continuous forms and for being printed and for having the imprinting done on the cards. If cards 15 were made of the larger size, to match the size of sheet 10, the cards would be unacceptably large for consumer use.

The use of the continuous form and the individual mailers (A) A card manufacturer ships a supply of cards 15, preferably with their portions 24 printed and their imprint-able portions 25 left blank, to a manufacturer of forms.

(B) A forms manufacturer, using automatic machinery, manufactures a continuous form comprising lower web or sheet 10 with cards 15 spotted on it at uniform intervals, one card per pair of transverse tear lines 12, with the continuous web having continuous stripes of registering holes 16. The printing on the areas 26 of the sheet 10 may be done at or prior to the manufacture of the forms themselves. The assembly of the cards 15 and the sheet 10 is also accomplished during the manufacture of the continuous form.

Ultimately, there is manufactured a continuous form which may be folded in zig-zag fashion, as is preferable, on transverse lines 12. These are fold lines for the folding of the form into zig-zag fashion but they also become tear lines when the individual mailers are to be severed.

(C) Manufactured continuous forms, preferably in zigzag condition, are shipped to a purchaser of continuous forms, who then runs them through imprinting machinery to imprint on portions 25 of the cards, the names and addresses of the ultimate consumers to whom he will be mailing the mailers. Thereupon the continuous form is burst or severed into individual mailers 9 by having the form torn across on tear lines 12. Mailers 9 are then ready to be mailed to the ultimate consumers.

(D) When he receives a mailer, he now has exposed the instructions printed on areas 26 and also has exposed for easy removal the card 15 having his name and address on it at 25.

The embodiment of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed is defined as follows:

A continuous burstable printing form for permitting high speed computerized printing of small or wallet size 5 stifi plastic card components thereof, such as are conventionally used as identification and credit cards;

with the form being burstable into individual card containing mailers;

said form comprising one long continuous uncovered Web of paper or light card stock;

the web having horizontal tear lines uniformly spaced along the form and extending from one vertical continuous edge to the other to enable the form to be burst on such tear lines into rectangular individual card mailers;

there being an adhesive spot in each individual mailer within its periphery for removably sealing a card in place;

each mailer, while still a part of the form, containing as a component, and adhesively but removably secured thereon, one small or wallet size stiff heavy stock rectangular printable plastic card such as is conventionally used as an identification or credit card;

the length and width of each card being considerably less than the length and width of the mailer so that all four edges of the card are well spaced from all four edges of the mailer;

and with all cards being uniformly spaced and in alignment in the form for printing continuously;

the form also having at each vertical edge a vertical line of uniformly and closely spaced feed holes.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/1966 'Porter 229-69 9/1966 'Beckman et al. 229-69 Disclaimer 3,319,872.-lwing 0. Beckman and Alex Howell Bqerbolum, Huntin on oods, Mich. MAILER. Patent dated May 16, 1967. Disclaimer led Dec. 23, 1974, by the assignee, 23 System Corpomtion. Hereby disclaims the term of this patent subsequent to Sept. 20, 1983.

[Ojiim'al Gazette June 10, 1975.] 

